TODAY'S EVENTS
MAIN HALL:
SPECIAL FINE ARTS
PERFORMANCE FOR
STUDENTS OF
MODORIKAWA
HIGH SCHOOL
This is pretty exciting! I can't believe we get to watch a play instead of having regular class.
Yeah, totally...
Are you okay, Miyaka-chan? You seem down.
Just tired from a lack of sleep.
Oh yeah?
What play are we seeing?
"Harlot in the Rain."
It's based on the memoirs of a harlot from the Edo-period and tells the story of how she fell in love with a samurai.
What's a "harlot"?
PERFORMANCE ON: MAY 8TH (FRIDAY)
STARTING AT 2 PM
Kinda like a prostitute? That's what I heard, anyway.
Apparently, even daughters from affluent warrior and merchant families
ended up doing work like that due to problems with their parents.
HARLOT
IN THE
RAIN
So is that why this one was able to write a memoir?
You sure know your stuff, Kaoru-chan.
I got all the deets from him.
Wait, do you mean...?
Without further ado, the Kukami Troupe is proud to present their performance of "Harlot in the Rain."
"Come, girl. Tell me your name." The warrior meant to be her future husband asked.
Their marriage was merely a way for her struggling family to escape ruin, making women like her nothing but tools.
"I am the daughter of the samurai class, sir!"
This aloof reply surely upset him, for it was akin to insulting his intelligence.
Thus the marriage talks were scrapped, and with no other avenues left, their family was brought to ruin.
Her father was consumed by despair and died, while her mother just hurled endless spite.
But no matter.
Their relationship was never one of passion or affection in the first place.
And just like that, no one remained to call the girl by her name.
But damned if she had any regrets. She had already surmised this harsh reality long ago.
There was no need for her to have a name.
Good grief! What awful weather.
You can say that again. I'm drenched.
Taking cover from the rain here, too, Mister Samurai?
First time seeing a woman who sells her body, or what?
Oh, my apologies! I didn't mean to offend you!
I'm sorry.
People often say I'm too serious and formal for my own good.
Well, I'd say anybody who acts so ceremonial with prostitutes is definitely on the weird side.
Is that so?
Yes, it is.
Oh...
Doesn't seem like it'll let up any time soon.
You mustn't! You'll get wet!
I already am. Farewell, Mister Samurai.
H-hold on! Don't go yet!
Uh, let me introduce myself!
I am Naotsugu Miura. May I please have your name?
Harlot.
I'm just Harlot the harlot.
Names don't need to be any more complicated than that, right?
Her pale skin. Her glistening, raven locks.
And her smile like a light mist that evaporated into the night. She looked almost otherworldly.
This was the first time that Naotsugu had ever been captivated by a woman.
Overcome by a sudden fit of shyness, he looked away ever so briefly,
and that's when he noticed.
Wait, that's...
...my brother?
Oh...
It's really him.
Do you know who that man is?!
An old fame.
The year was 1855. It was a night where a heavy rain covered everything in sight
in the flourish town of Asakusa.
Oh, welcome in, Miura-sama.
Greetings.
Ah, Jin-dono!
Things got really bad after we parted last night.
Huh?
The rain.
Ah! Yes, just awful.
Kake-soba, please.
Okay. One bowl of kake!
Comin' up!
You two were together last night?
Jin-dono and I went out with Zenji-dono from Sugaya for some drinks at a little bar in Asakusa.
My, how nice!
Except Jin-dono here was like a bottomless pit, and I end up drinking too much by following his lead.
Oh dear. Take it easy on him, Jinya-kun.
I don't recall putting any pressure on you.
Anyways, it was a fun time!
But after we left in such high spirits, that awful rainstorm hit...
Huh?
Kake-soba, order up!
Coming!
What about you, Jin-dono? I recall you mentioning going to look for a job after that.
Yes. I caught wind of an interesting rumor.
Demons, I assume?
Very likely. I'm actually going back to Asakusa again tonight.
Asakusa...
As the sun dipped below the horizon,
Naotsugu departed on a lone trip to Asakusa once again.
He stood under the same eaves as the night before,
his heart filled with uncertainty as he waited for who knows what.
Sheltering from the rain in spite of your umbrella?
Harlot-dono.
"Harlot-dono"? What a strange way to refer to me.
But that's what you said your name was...
Fair point.
What brings you here, Mister Samurai?
You may call me Naotsugu.
Oh yeah?
So, why are you here, Mister Samurai?
Well, you could say that my interest was piqued.
You know, by that silhouette we saw last night.
It's like I told you. He's an old flame.
Which means that you and he, uh...
Careful now. It's best not to dig into a woman's history, even more so if she's a prostitute.
I'm sorry.
Jeez. You really are honest to a fault.
No.
Because actually...
I came here for you.
Really now? Then you should've just said you wanted to buy me.
That's not what I mean! All I wanted was to see you once more.
My bad. I was only joking with you.
I'm sorry.
You really are a strange one.
I knew it...
The shadowy figure merely stood there.
But the shape of its face was one that Naotsugu could never forget.
Brother...
Why now?
Huh?
Why show up after all this time?
"An old flame."
It seemed those words might refer to someone other than just a former customer.
As if to prove this, her voice rung through the air with affection so deep it could not be hidden.
And yet, her svelte shoulders were trembling.
She was... frightened.
Jinya-kun. Is something bothering you?
I botched a job last night.
I had the demon in my sights, but I failed to finish it off.
Oh dear.
I'm disappointed in myself.
Does that mean you're going hunting again tonight?
The demon apparently only comes out when it rains, so that depends on the weather.
Jin-dono!
Welcome in.
Jin-dono...
Actually, I would like for all of you to hear me out.
Even us?
I would appreciate your advice.
You see, the thing is... um...
I've taken an interest in a woman.
Hello! Two bowls of kake, please.
Why's everybody so quiet?
Well, now!
Harlot the harlot, eh?
Seems you had quite the night after we finished drinking the other day.
Unlike a certain somebody who couldn't resist a jaunt through the redlight district.
Uh, let's stay focused on Naotsugu's story, okay, milady?
A-anyways, the point is that you want our advice on how to win this lady's heart.
Do I have that right?
Well, I can't deny that I'm smitten with her.
Hoo-boy! Things are getting spicy!
So you're genuinely interested?
Absolutely. I really want to learn more about her as a person.
But you're on opposite ends of the social ladder. What good will that do you?
I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Gosh, you're more of a romantic than I thought.
I see how it is. Okay, then it's time for one of my ingenious plans!
We'll stage it so that this harlot can see Naotsugu in a good light, then she'll totally fall for him.
How will that work?
When she's out trying to attract customers for the night... bam!
A bandit attacks her! And she goes, "Eeek!"
No way.
Then the gallant Naotsugu appears!
He unsheathes his blade of cold steel, bringing the villain down in one swift stroke!
I said, no!
But, milady...
Dull. Cliché. Outdated!
Besides, I doubt a bandit would show up with such good timing.
That's where you come in, bandito.
Impossible.
I agree. Especially for these two.
Hrmm. I thought it was a good idea.
C'mon, you should help us out here, pops!
Huh? Well, if you ask me...
More interaction should be your first order of business.
Interaction, you say?
If you want to win someone's heart, then you have to put in the time and effort. Get to know them personally.
And more importantly, let them learn all about you.
I can't guarantee that it will work out in the end, but there are never any shortcuts to fostering true love.
By the way, I spent upwards of 20 years doing that myself, and actually won over the world's best woman.
I see.
Good point. I think you're right, sir.
I will wait for her under the same eaves again tonight.
Thank you, everyone.
He really took that to heart.
I'm seeing you in a new light, pops!
The older, the wiser. As they say.
What's wrong, Ofuu? Did I say something to upset you?
Nothing like that. I just found something a little strange about Miura-sama's story.
Strange?
Miura-sama and Harlot-san met two nights ago when they both took cover from the rain, right?
That's what he said.
And then, Jinya-kun...
You said a demon that only appears in the rain escaped from you last night.
That's right.
The only problem is, it didn't rain yesterday or the day before.
There is a limit to the breadth of knowledge that people can possess.
People can only see things that are perceivable.
Which means so long as we are alive, all we can truly know is our own story.
However...
"Unseen" does not equal "nonexistent."
We must always keep in mind there are a subset of things
that exist in the world even though nobody can see them.
A sudden downpour hits. And the same eaves as yesterday serve as cover.
Although Harlot meant no hostility,
the words that inadvertently spilled from her mouth seemed to ring with a certain truth.
Figures he wouldn't be here today.
The penetrating cold of the night was undeterred by the spring season, drudging up memories of long ago.
She had stooped to becoming a prostitute in spite of her birth as a member of samurai nobility,
but she wasn't attached to her former life enough to have any misgivings.
Perhaps for one exception. The sole person in her family who had actually treated her right: her older brother.
He had once scraped together enough money to buy her a cuckoo kanzashi,
but she had no idea where it was now.
Ki...
This way...
She heard his voice calling to her.
But no. That should have been impossible.
Because... he was already long gone.
Dear brother...
You mustn't go! Harlot-dono!
Mister Samurai?
Get a hold of yourself, Harlot-dono!
Please, you must let me go. He's calling for me.
What are you talking about?!
Oh, that's right.
There's no way he could be here. Not in this place.
But still...
Snap out of it! You must realize it's not human!
No, I know him!
Your old flame.
A person who you care deeply for even now.
That's obvious enough for me to figure out.
But you're being tricked!
There are paranormal forces at work here.
That thing is... a demon!
What are you doing, Mister Samurai?!
Abide by morals, exemplify courage, practice compassion, behave with courtesy, and remain devoted.
Be like a sword and slay the enemy before you!
Harlot-dono. I am a samurai.
And I swear to you upon my blade, that thing is not the precious person you seek.
You must believe me. Please!
Jin-dono!
Are you okay, Mister Samurai?
Yes. And you, Harlot-dono?
I'm doing just fine.
You're a lot tougher than you look. I'm honestly surprised.
Huh?
Don't you agree, ronin?
Yes.
No, I didn't actually...
You had me worried when yours hands started shaking like a leaf after drawing your katana.
That was an intimidation tactic he used to show the demon he meant business.
Hold on, do you two know each other?
Yeah, sorta.
Do you mean, like, as a customer?
Yeah, but I'm the customer. I've hired him before.
Oh, I see.
So, that dark shadow was a demon after all?
More like feelings of regret that weren't able to fully manifest as a demon.
Regret?
The dead often have unfinished business in this world and their regret can amass into a physical form.
However, that one was incomplete. So it merely reflected the regrets of those who gazed upon it, instead.
To me it looked like my brother, Sadanaga.
However, when I began to fear that Harlot-dono may get abducted, it turned into a mere shadow.
Regret, eh?
I thought I'd made a clean break with my past.
Even so... there are some things we can never let go of.
Miyaka-chan. Miyaka-chan!
Hi, sleepyhead.
Huh?
Crap, I fell asleep...
Thank you.
You meanie. How could you let me sleep through the whole thing?
Hey, I tried to wake you up a bunch of times. Don't you remember?
Not at all.
Don't fret, I'll help you write your report about the play.
Nice. Looks good to me!
Thanks, Kaoru-chan!
You're welcome.
But it's a shame you missed out. That play was great.
Hey! You agree with me, right?
Oh, Asagao... I mean, Azusaya.
I wish you'd remember my name already!
Sorry. It's not really a memory problem.
I just can't help it.
Do I really look that much like your friend?
Incredibly.
She was just like a celestial maiden.
There you go again with your weird comments!
So, hey, was the play really that good?
For the most part.
I thought it was disrespectful how clumsy they made Naotsugu's ronin friend out to be, though.
It's funny because he rushed in to save them, but it was Naotsugu who killed the demon in the end.
I get the impression that Harlot's memoirs were slanderous.
You're blowing it out of proportion!
Harlot was in love with Naotsugu, so it's only natural she made him the hero.
C'mon, there were plenty of good parts!
Like the scene after Harlot married Naotsugu,
where she was sitting with the ronin's daughter and watching the two of them spar.
Oh. That's right.
It sticks out because even though that's when Harlot realized the ronin was a demon,
she pretended not to know, right?
It's so heartwarming!
Good grief, Harlot really pulled one over on me.
She never once showed that side of herself openly.
Right?
You know, I'm really curious now!
Crud! Why did I fall asleep?
If you just want to experience the story, then it's available in paperback. As part of a short story collection.
Really?
I think I'll look for a copy, too.
Although I'd prefer to read the original copy of Harlot's memoir.
You're more interested in that?
Mostly just to see how the ronin was portrayed.
Hey, do you have a grudge against Harlot-san or what?